Details of Alleged "Knockout King" Elex Murphy's Confession

​This week's feature story, "Knockout King", revisits the death of Dutchtown resident Hoang Nguyen, who was fatally beaten two months ago while walking home from his local grocery store in broad daylight. The attack was later determined to be part of a violent ritual -- the young teens who participate call it a game -- that involves sucker-punching unsuspecting pedestrians not for money, but for thrills.

News of the this phenomenon first surfaced when police apprehended eighteen-year-old suspect Elex Murphy and brought him in for questioning. According to the detective who interrogated him, Murphy referred to the attack as "a by-product of the 'Knock Out' game."

Murphy has been charged with four crimes, including Murder in the First Degree. He's being held at the St. Louis City Justice Center without bond while the case is brought to a grand jury.

We've provided here a copy of Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce's complaint against Murphy, as well as the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Probable Cause Statement, which provides details of Murphy's alleged confession.

Based solely on the Probable Cause Statement, it's interesting to note that Murphy may not have confessed to the actual crime at all; in her summary, Detective Heather Sabin says Murphy admitted simply to being in the vicinity of the attack. (Reached by phone at the St. Louis City Justice Center, Murphy denies even that, claiming that he was asleep when the beating occurred.)

Regardless, police say that the attack was caught on videotape, and that it's clear Murphy threw the first punch.

Murphy was charged with first-degree murder based on prosecutors' belief that, after a period of deliberation, he struck Nguyen with the knowledge that such a blow "was causing, or was practically certain to cause," death, in accord with Missouri legal statutes.

This is complete proof that not all males will grow up to be real men and not all life is worthy of existence. I don't care if they're 18 or 108, we've those so called men doing the most barbaric soulless things like murder for money, rape, child rape, and now this brainless 18 year getting off on murdering an elderly men. For the greater good a sane society would band together put them down like the rabid animals they are with no question. But stupid Christians, liberals and simply weak minded people tolerate this in the of "humanity." And Muslims commit many of these acts around the world on a daily basis for their evil god. I'm a complete Darwinist and survival of the fittest rules, so if society wants to allow this behavior it will carry the blood of the victims on it's hands as it's chosen the innocent over those who commit evil. Innocent dogs are put to sleep and no one winks an eye but this bastard will be well fed and house mostly like for life. Way to go Western society.

anyone who punches another person and totally vulnerable stranger for the pleasure of causing suffering deserves and needs to be put down with a bullet to the brain wether or not the victim sustained serious injury from being punched. period.